Sen. Kent Conrad Holds a Hearing On Senate Procedures for Consideration of the Budget Resolution/Reconciliation

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Sen. Kent Conrad Holds a Hearing On Senate Procedures for Consideration of the Budget Resolution/Reconciliation

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET HOLDS A HEARING ON SENATE PROCEDURES FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET RESOLUTION/RECONCILIATION

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

SPEAKERS: SEN. KENT CONRAD, D-N.D. CHAIRMAN SEN. PATTY MURRAY, D-WASH. SEN. RON WYDEN, D-ORE. SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD, D-WIS. SEN. ROBERT C. BYRD, D-W.VA. SEN. BILL NELSON, D-FLA. SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW, D-MICH. SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ, D-N.J. SEN. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, D-MD. SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, D-R.I. SEN. MARK WARNER, D-VA. SEN. JEFF MERKLEY, D-ORE.

SEN. BERNARD SANDERS, I-VT.

SEN. JUDD GREGG, R-N.H. RANKING MEMBER SEN. CHARLES E. GRASSLEY, R-IOWA SEN. MICHAEL B. ENZI, R-WYO. SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, R-ALA. SEN. JIM BUNNING, R-KY. SEN. MICHAEL D. CRAPO, R-IDAHO SEN. JOHN ENSIGN, R-NEV. SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-TEXAS SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-S.C. SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER, R-TENN.

WITNESSES: SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, R-PA.

WILLIAM HOAGLAND, FORMER REPUBLICAN STAFF DIRECTOR, SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE

ROBERT DOVE, FORMER SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN

BILL HENIFF, ANALYST, CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE

SEN. ROBERT C. BYRD, D-W.VA.

[*] CONRAD: The hearing will come to order.

I want to welcome everyone to the Budget Committee this morning. I especially want to welcome our most senior member, Senator Byrd, who is also a valued member of this committee.

Today's hearing will focus on Senate procedures for consideration of the budget resolution and reconciliation.

I would like to address the practice known here as vote-a-rama. And before I go further, I want to make very clear that I have no interest in restricting the rights of the minority.

I've been in the minority. I've been in the majority. I'm acutely aware that we might be in the minority again and, so, I am absolutely devoted to continuing the full rights of the minority.

That is not the issue before this hearing. The fundamental issue before us is, can we improve the process? Can we make it better?

I think many of us felt acutely after last year that there had to be a better way. And I think those of us who have been most deeply involved have felt this for many years. But last year, because the presidential candidates were coming and going and it forced the votes into a very short period of time -- at least the key votes -- it became, I think, even more apparent than it has been certainly to the general membership of the Senate that this system really needs a review and a reworking.

I am delighted to have Senator Byrd as a witness today.

Senator Byrd is a giant in the Senate. He is the Senate's pro tempore, a former majority leader and a valued member of this committee. And he is a leading expert on Senate rules and procedures and played a critical role in the creation of the Congressional Budget Act under which we operate.

Senator Specter will also be here.

Senator Specter is a ranking member and the former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He's also an expert on Senate rules and procedures. He has introduced legislation -- Senate Resolution 29 -- that builds on the ideas put forward by Senator Byrd on reforming the vote-a-rama process.

So I very much look forward to both of their testimony.

Let me begin by making clear why we have vote-a-rama. Under the Congressional Budget Act, the budget resolution and reconciliation bills are given special fast-track treatment that limits debate. Fifty hours for a budget resolution, 20 hours for a reconciliation bill, this means that these measures cannot be filibustered.

As a way to protect the rights of the minority, the Budget Act allows them limited number of amendments to be filed even after all time has expired on the resolution or the bill.

So as frustrating as vote-a-rama may be for all of us, the ability to offer unlimited amendments is meant to safeguard minority rights.

Again, I want to make ...

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